Optimizing Running Training Through Intensity, Pacing, and Recovery - Episode Hero Image

Optimizing Running Training Through Intensity, Pacing, and Recovery

The Strength Running Podcast · · Listen to Original Episode →
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TL;DR

  • Prioritizing easy-effort running (over 50% of mileage) and judiciously incorporating hard efforts (10-20%) optimizes endurance gains while minimizing injury risk, as excessive intensity leads to burnout and plateaus.
  • Accurate training paces are best determined by a combination of recent race results, perceived effort, and heart rate monitoring, especially for new runners, to ensure appropriate physiological stress.
  • Moderate-intensity (Zone 3) running has specific benefits, particularly for marathon training closer to race day, but should be intentionally deployed rather than becoming a default effort level.
  • Beginner runners often struggle to differentiate effort levels; using heart rate zones and focusing on conversational pace helps them build the "gears" necessary for varied intensity training.
  • Pace calculators offer optimistic estimates; runners should use them as a guide, not gospel, and prioritize longer race performances for more accurate marathon pace projections.
  • Fitness decay is gradual, with negligible loss after one week off and only a few percentage points after two weeks, allowing for necessary recovery without significant performance impact.
  • Runners benefit most from coaching when they lack direction, have complex schedules, struggle with self-objectivity, or are highly motivated to improve but need structured guidance.

Deep Dive

The core argument is that effective running training hinges on a nuanced understanding of intensity distribution, pacing, and recovery, rather than simply increasing mileage. This podcast episode with Elisabeth Scott emphasizes that the optimal ratio of easy to hard running is highly individual, influenced by goals, experience, and personal response, with a strong leaning towards prioritizing easy mileage to build aerobic base and prevent injury. The discussion highlights that understanding and accurately implementing training paces, particularly for easy runs, is crucial for long-term fitness gains and that a judicious approach to recovery post-marathon is as vital as the training itself.

The concept of training intensity distribution is critical because a disproportionate amount of hard running, or even moderate running mistaken for easy running, leads to burnout and injury. The prevailing wisdom, often framed by the 80/20 rule (80% easy, 20% hard), suggests that the majority of training should be at a low intensity to build aerobic capacity and improve the body's ability to utilize fat for fuel. This strategy is counterintuitive for many runners who believe that pushing harder equates to faster progress. However, the implication is that by front-loading easy mileage, runners build a more robust and sustainable fitness foundation, enabling them to tolerate and benefit more from the hard workouts they do incorporate. This approach shifts the focus from short-term gains to long-term health and improvement.

Determining training paces is complex, as calculators offer estimates that often prove overly optimistic, especially for longer distances like marathons. The episode stresses that perceived effort and physiological metrics like heart rate are more reliable guides, particularly for easy runs, as they account for daily variations in fatigue, sleep, and stress. The implication here is that runners must develop a deeper connection with their bodies, learning to differentiate between sustainable easy efforts and those that encroach on harder zones, which can compromise recovery and subsequent hard workouts. This self-awareness is a skill that develops over time, and without it, runners risk overtraining or undertraining, negating the benefits of their structured plans.

The discussion on fitness loss after stopping running reveals that while some decline is inevitable, it is often less dramatic than feared. A week off typically results in negligible loss, while two weeks begin to show noticeable physiological changes, such as a decrease in VO2 max and blood plasma volume. The critical takeaway is that fitness decay is significantly slower if some form of activity is maintained, even if it's reduced volume or intensity. This implies that planned recovery periods, such as post-marathon breaks, are not detrimental to long-term fitness but are essential for adaptation and preventing overtraining. The psychological aspect is also significant; understanding that a temporary dip in fitness is normal can prevent unnecessary anxiety and encourage proper rest, ultimately leading to more effective training cycles.

The role of a running coach is presented not as a necessity for all, but as a valuable resource for runners who lack direction, struggle with plateaus or injuries, have complex schedules, or tend to be overly anxious about their training. The implication is that a coach provides objective analysis, personalized guidance, and accountability, helping runners navigate the complexities of training and fitness more efficiently. For adult runners with limited time, a coach can optimize training to ensure every session is purposeful and contributes effectively to their goals, thereby enhancing the efficiency of their training efforts.

Ultimately, the episode argues that successful running is a blend of science and self-awareness, emphasizing patience and consistency over brute force. The second-order implication is that by embracing a more conservative and intelligent approach to training intensity, pacing, and recovery, runners can achieve better long-term performance, reduce injury risk, and foster a more sustainable and enjoyable relationship with the sport.

Action Items

  • Audit training intensity: For 3-5 runners, analyze the ratio of easy to hard mileage, prioritizing an 80/20 split (80% easy, 20% hard) to prevent overuse injuries.
  • Create pace calculation framework: Develop a system for determining training paces using a combination of recent race results and perceived effort, with heart rate as a fallback for new runners.
  • Implement conversational pace cues: For 3-5 runners, use the "conversational pace" metric as a primary guide for easy runs to ensure proper effort and prevent overtraining.
  • Track fitness decay: For runners taking extended breaks (2+ weeks), monitor key fitness metrics to understand the rate of decline and inform return-to-training plans.

Related Episodes

Key Quotes

"The distribution of your training intensity which is the ratio of hard to moderate hard moderate easy running in your training is going to depend on a multitude of factors including what you're currently training for the experience you have at training for that distance your overall experience right if you have been putting in you know 90 to 95 to 100 easy effort running because you're training for an ultra and now you're dropping down to a 5k right you have probably more of a speed focus right you need to work up to your speed being able to handle that much intensity in your training versus somebody who's been doing more intensity in the overall training for the past five 10 years."

Elisabeth Scott explains that the optimal ratio of easy to hard running mileage is not a fixed number but depends on individual factors like the specific race being trained for, the runner's experience level, and their personal response to different training intensities. She emphasizes that what works best for one runner may not work for another, highlighting the personalized nature of training.

"The best kind of training is the training you actually do so if an athlete really hates a certain kind of training and they're less likely to do that maybe we don't do as much of it even if it would be the more effective way to train if they're not going to do it it's not effective at all."

Scott emphasizes the practical reality that adherence is crucial for training effectiveness. She argues that even the most scientifically optimal training plan will fail if the athlete dislikes it and is therefore unlikely to complete it. This suggests that coaches should consider an athlete's preferences to ensure consistent engagement with their training.

"The pace calculator is a guide it is not god it is supposed to point you in the nearest direction it does not supposed to tell you exactly where you're supposed to go."

Scott cautions runners against treating pace calculators as definitive sources for their training paces. She explains that these calculators make assumptions about equivalent fitness across distances and an individual's ability to train for longer events, which may not align with reality. Scott advises using calculators as a starting point but always prioritizing perceived effort and individual experience.

"The best workout to use a heart rate monitor for is your easy run because you know i have actually been pushing back against this whole notion of easy pace because i don't think your easy running is a pace it's an effort because what is easy i don't know it's easy whatever feels easy today which is dependent upon whether or not you had your morning coffee and you're all jazzed up and excited or maybe you didn't and you're feeling a little lethargic and sleepy maybe you didn't get great sleep last night you did a workout the day before so many things can impact how you're feeling on a given day and that might mean your easy pace is 8 30 a mile one day but then the next day it's 9 minutes a mile and holding yourself to this artificial pace that should be your easy pace a lot of runners think you know a certain pace should be their easy pace but it is very much dependent on so many other things."

Jason Fitzgerald highlights that for many runners, especially beginners, "easy pace" is not a fixed number but rather an effort that fluctuates based on daily factors like sleep, caffeine intake, and overall fatigue. He suggests that a heart rate monitor can be a more reliable tool for ensuring easy runs are truly at an easy effort, as pace alone can be misleading due to these daily variations.

"If you take about a week completely off for most people we are talking about negligible changes in your fitness we're talking about points of a percentage point in terms of decreases in performance and efficiency and actually for some people you might benefit from the rest if you have been overtraining when we get to the two week mark we do start to see actual physiological changes but again we're talking a couple percentage points we're talking about two to three percent loss of vo2 max."

Elisabeth Scott explains that taking a week off from running results in minimal fitness loss, often negligible for most individuals. She notes that significant physiological changes, such as a 2-3% decrease in VO2 max, typically begin to appear after two weeks of complete inactivity. Scott reassures runners that short breaks are not detrimental and can even be beneficial for recovery from overtraining.

"The main reasons that i have had runners come to me and ask for coaching or runners who i think would benefit most from coaching is runners who are really just have kind of no idea what they're supposed to be doing right and this can happen at any experience levels so maybe you've gotten to a certain point on your own you've cobbled together some training you know may or may not have been the right training for you but you did it you got a couple prs and now things aren't feeling so great and you're kind of plateaued or maybe you keep getting injured you don't know why and you don't know what to do wherever you are in your running journey if you are at this kind of looking at what you want to accomplish and you're like i have no idea how to get there that's what a coach is for."

Scott identifies that runners who lack a clear understanding of how to structure their training, especially when facing plateaus or recurring injuries, are prime candidates for hiring a coach. She emphasizes that this need for guidance exists regardless of a runner's experience level, suggesting that a coach provides the necessary roadmap to achieve specific goals when self-coaching proves insufficient.

Resources

External Resources

Books

  • "80/20 Running" by Matt Fitzgerald - Mentioned as a foundational text for understanding training intensity distribution.

Articles & Papers

  • "The Performance Training Journal" (Amazon) - Mentioned as a physical training journal to focus on key metrics, maintain motivation, and improve long-term outlook.

People

  • Matt Fitzgerald - Popularized the 80/20 running rule.
  • Travis Macy - Elite ultra runner, mentioned in relation to an example of running too hard on an easy run.

Organizations & Institutions

  • USATF (USA Track & Field) - Elisabeth Scott holds a coaching certification from this organization.
  • RRCA (Road Runners Club of America) - Elisabeth Scott holds a coaching certification from this organization.
  • UESCA (United Endurance Sports Coaching Academy) - Elisabeth Scott holds a coaching certification from this organization.

Podcasts & Audio

  • The Running Explained Podcast - Hosted by Elisabeth Scott, mentioned as a popular running podcast.
  • The Strength Running Podcast - The podcast where this conversation is taking place.

Other Resources

  • 80/20 running rule - A guideline for training intensity distribution.
  • Pace calculators - Tools used to estimate running paces for different distances.
  • Heart rate monitors - Used as a quantitative metric to guide training intensity, particularly for easy runs.
  • Perceived effort - A subjective measure of how hard a run feels, used to gauge intensity.
  • Training intensity distribution - The proportion of training time spent at different effort levels.
  • Zone 2 running - A low-intensity aerobic effort zone.
  • Zone 3 running - A moderate-intensity effort zone.
  • Lactate threshold - The point at which lactate begins to accumulate in the blood faster than it can be cleared.
  • Aerobic threshold - The point at which the body begins to rely more on aerobic metabolism.
  • Blood plasma volume - A component of blood that can decrease with inactivity, affecting heart rate.
  • Neuromuscular fitness - The coordination and efficiency of the nervous system in controlling muscles.

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